France Telecom, Free enter rural FTTH pact

France Telecom (NYSE: FTE) has introduced a new measure that will let competitive carriers offer services on its ever-growing Fiber to the Home (FTTH) network in rural areas.

Already, France Telecom has signed a deal with Free (liad Group) to leverage its FTTH network that the incumbent provider plans to begin building out throughout 2012.

The service provider's work with Free reflects France Telecom's broadband program it debuted in February to bring FTTH to 15 million homes, or 60 percent of France's homes, by the year 2020. In addition to targeting what French telecom regulator ARCEP characterizes as 'very dense' areas, France Telecom's program will bring FTTH service to medium-sized towns in France.

After ARCEP established the regulatory framework for FTTH for smaller towns and cities in January, France Telecom has been able to develop its wholesale FTTH service plan that other FTTH providers like Free can use to offer fiber-based broadband to their users.

Ultimately, the benefactors of this new regulatory framework are consumers who will be able to choose any service provider besides France Telecom to get their service.

For more:
- TeleGeography has this article

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